Whether you sunbath all day at the beach in summer or spend only a few minutes on a sun bed to bring a glow to your skin in winter tanning is harmful to your health. Tanning is caused by harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning lamps, and just by getting a tan you have already sustained some skin damage.

Over time the damage caused by UV radiation leads to wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer. For those that use indoor ultraviolet (UV) tanners the risk of developing melanoma is 74 percent greater than those who have never tanned indoors!

The risks associated with tanning beds is of such concern in May of this year (May 6, 2013) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed that (UV) tanning devices would be reclassified as Class II/moderate risk devices requiring warning labels both tanning devices and also in any related promotional materials, in particular they want to alert young people to the dangers of using a tanning booth even once!

A single indoor UV tanning session raises the users’ chances of developing melanoma by 20% and for those who start hitting the tanning salon before the age of 35 the risk sky-rockets by almost 75 percent!

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About sunnysleevez

I'm a freckly red head, originally from London now living in LA with 2 pale children. Frankly with our coloring we have no business being such an outdoorsy family and living in southern California.
I grew up in a time when factor 8 sun milk was considered the best protection available to combat the hot rays of a holiday in southern Spain, that lead to 3rd degree burns and the rest of the vacation spent in the shade of our apartment.
As a family we love to be outside, going to the beach, camping, swimming & hiking. We can't completely avoid the sun (nor should we) but taking sensible measures to avoid unnecessary UV damage is a priority.
How do we do that? By staying in the shade in the middle of the day, wearing sun protective clothing (that's why I created Sunny Sleevez), a broad brimmed hat, UV rated sunglasses, using chemical-free broad spectrum sun screen on exposed areas & eating a healthy diet with as few chemicals as possible & lots of antioxidants.

5 Responses to Oh Glow You Don’t! – Why You Should Embrace Your Pale Perfection This Season

Too true! One of my favorite online cartoons, the oatmeal, always compare people who tan extensively to potatoes… and it is spot on accurate. Not only is it bad for you but I seriously don’t understand what some people see in it… not attractive. And this is coming from someone who gets so pale in our long Northwest winters that I practically turn green!

Thanks for keeping this important issue front and center! Skin cancer is so prevalent…even from sun damage as a child…..I know from personal experience. HelpHowDoIDoThat.com …Things you wish you had known sooner…to make life happen better!

Absolutely agree – the only exception is that my wife has issues with vitamin D and calcium absorption, so sunlight is something she seeks out 9 months of the year, and can see the difference when it gets cold like this🙂 But that really isn’t the point – it is the sun-worshippers who believe ‘tan = healthy’ that need to wake up!